Last week we started our new series … ‘SACRIFICE’ … and we learned three principles about sacrifice – 1) Sacrifice requires love, 2) Sacrifice requires trust, and 3) Sacrifice requires obedience …
Sacrifice is NEVER easy, but God has asked us to sacrifice our time, our talents, and our treasures.
Tonight, I want to continue our series on Sacrifice, but taking a slightly different angle … I want to talk about RISK!
I used to be a lot more risky than I am today … I would go rock climbing, small cliff diving, spelunking (caving) … had a motorcycle, a mustang convertible … did all kinds of stupid things as I was growing up …
I am reminded of a time in college … a few of us decided to drive to a place called the “End of the World” … it was an 75 degree road with a steep drop on the other side … we raced to the top of the hill at about 45-50 miles an hour … the wheels came off the ground … we landed hard and scraped the bottom of the car … the thing about it I was driving and it was NOT my car … a girl asked me to drive, but never told me that the car was NOT hers but her brothers who played football for a local college … I found out after … HUGE RISK!!!
James Bryant Conant: “Behold the turtle; he makes progress only when he sticks his neck out.”
Peter really stuck his neck out, when he decided to walk on water … yeah, I know … many people criticize this guy, but he was the only one who took the risk and ‘WALKED ON WATER.’
The question that popped in my head was, “How long did he walk on water?”
A few inches … a few feet … a couple yards … we don’t know … but we do know that HE WALKED ON WATER … he took the risk!
Now, the cool thing is, it was calculated risk … he loved Jesus, he trusted him, and he chose to obey him … Peter knew Jesus would not let him drown!
Risk is a lot like faith … Faith is a calculated risk … trusting that God will be there when you need him … trusting that he will provide everything you need!
What keeps people from taking risks?
1.Fear of the Unknown – you don’t know what the results or effects will be
2.Failure – you don’t want to look bad or seem irrational (nutty)
3.Past Experiences - last time you took a risk you failed, so why take another risk
4.Responsibility – the more responsibility you get the less you are willing to risk
The Bible tells us when Peter looked down and saw the crashing waves “he lost his nerve.”
Man, never lose your nerve when it comes to taking a RISK for God … that risk is really your faith at work!
Sacrificing for God seems a bit RISKY … it takes a lot of FAITH … and there have been thousands of people who have taken the RISK for God!
George Mueller: “Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man’s power ends.”
In this series we are asking everyone here to make a SACRIFICE of their time, their talents, and their treasures.
That sounds risky … but it is risk based on LOVE, TRUST, and OBEDIENCE!
Because I love God I am willing to risk my time, my talents, and my treasures for God!
So, let’s figure out WHY we should take a risk with God and for God.
1. God has a proven track record
Over my life I have seen God provide for me and my family!
When I was growing up I remember when we had no food on the table … it was a Wednesday night … we just got home from a church service … hungry … a few minutes later there was a knock at the door … a family from our church dropped off several bags of groceries and gave my mother $200.
I’ll take a risk for a God like that any day!
Psalm 37:25: “Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly forsaken, nor seen their children begging for bread” (NLT).
For 27 years I waited for God to send me a godly wife … he proved himself 5 years ago, when he sent Mary into my life.
I will RISK for a God like that any time!
2. God has a powerful plan
God’s plan is to “seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10).
God’s plan is for Christians “to grow” (2 Peter 3:18).
I will take the RISK to see people come to know Jesus and for Christians to become all that God has planned for them!
I will RISK my money, my time, and my talents to GOD’S PLAN!!!
God’s plan is powerful … and it takes a lot of FAITH to see His plan!
God’s plan reached me … I will RISK to reach others!
God’s plan helped me grow … I will RISK to see others grow!
3. God is a personal friend
Matthew 11:19 reveals that people were calling Jesus a “friend of sinners.”
God wants a personal relationship with everyone of us … he wants to be our FRIEND!
And real friends look out and after each other!
Eugene Kennedy: "The real test of friendship is: can you literally do nothing with the other person? Can you enjoy those moments of life that are utterly simple?"
Man, God just wants to spend time with you … even if you are doing nothing together … he is and wants to be with you!
John 15:14: “You are my friends if you do what I command you.”
Are you doing what God commands you? Are you sacrificing your time, talents, and treasures?
CONCLUSION
Peter stepped off the boat into the raging waters … he walked on water … he took the risk by stepping out of the boat into uncertainity!
Take the risk and do something great for God!
Risk your time, your talents, and your treasures to STEP INTO THE WATER and follow God!
1 Chronicles 21:24: “No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the LORD what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing” (NIV).
